Towing tongue



Patented Nov. 28, 1923.,

entree era-res WILLIAM 10. unny, or GREENVILLE, ILLINOIS.

'rowrne TONGUE.

Application filed February 5, 1921 Serial No. 442,742.

To aZZwhom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, lVILLIAD'I D. HENRY,a citizen of .the United States, residin at Greenville, in the county of Bond-and tate of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Towing Tongues, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to towing tongues or couplings for motor vehicles and an object of'the invention is to provide a device of this nature which may be used for towing disabled motor vehicles, trailers, or the like, and. which may be quickly and easily at tachedto the front axle of the vehicle to be towed and one which, owingto its rigidity, will prevent the towed vehicle from running up on the towing vehicle when traveling down inclines or when the speed of the towing vehicle is slackened.

Another ob'ect of the invention is to provide a towing tongue as specified which embodies means for attachment to the steering mechanism of the towed vehicle to permit it to be steered in unison with the direction of travel of the towing vehicle and eliminate tached to any type of vehicle without requiring alteration of the vehicle.

Other ob 'ects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l'is a side elevation of the improved towing tongue showing it applied to the front axle of a vehicle to be towed.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the towing tongue.

Fig. 3 is a detailed horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a detailed vertical section taken on the line 4& of Fig. 2;

Referring more particularly to the drawing the improved towing tongue comprises a socket 1 including sections 2 and 3 which are attached to the rigid pole 4. The pole 4: may be made of pipe, metal bar, or any suitable material and it is detachably connected to the socket 1 by transverse bolts 5. The sections 2 and 3 are pivotally connected by a bolt 6 to the hinged connecting ends of the arms 7 and 8. The arms 7 and 8 comprise parallel extending portions 9 and flared portions 10 forming a fork'adapte'd for engagement above and'below a front axle A of a motor vehicle. The portions 10 of the arms receive therein pins 12 for connecting thev arms to the axle clamps 13 and 14: respectively which are provided with axle engaging bills15 and'are clamped upon the axle A by a clamping plate 16 which engages the axle upon the side opposite that engaged by the bills 15 and which clamping plate receives therethrough the threaded studs 17 formed upon the clamps 13 and 1 1. Nuts 18 are mounted on the studs 17 and bear against the plate 16 for securely clamping the plate 16 and clamps 13 and 141 in engagement with axle A. The pivotal connection of the arms 7 and 8 permits separating of their perforated ends for connection with axles of various sizes and suitable means, such as a bolt 19, is provided for rigidly clamping them in place after they have'been adjusted and connected to the axle A.

The arm 8 has an extension-2O formed thereupon which has an alligator jaw 21 upon its free end. The alligator jaw 21 grips a shift pin 22 which is in turn connected by a clamp structure 23 to a cross head 24 of the steering mechanism of a motor vehicle for steering the vehicle by the towing tongue structure thereby eliminating the need of an operator in the vehicle being towed.

If it is so desired in the initial building or constructing of the motor vehicles the clamps 13 and 14 may be formed upon the front axles and the tongue structure attached thereto bymeans of the pins 12 and arms 7 and 8.

From the foregoing description taken in It is, of course, to be understood that the invention may be constructed in various other manners and the parts associated in different relations and, therefore, I do not desire to be limited in any manner except as set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A towing tong'iie comprising a pair of arms, a pole pivotally connected to: the

arms, hook-shaped clamps pivotally connected to the arms, a clamp plate adjustably connected to said clamps, an extension and a pole having pivotal connection with the clamps and operative connection with the. steering mechanism of the automobile.

3. An automobile towing tongue comprising a pair of hook shaped clamps for engagement around the flanges of an automobile axle, a plate adjustably connected to the clamps and abutting the axle for drawing the clamps into tight engagement with the axle, and a pole having pivotal connection with the clamps and operative connection with the steering mechanism of the automobile.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa- *tlll.

WILLIAM D. HENRY. 

